Asaduddin Owaisi Surrenders, Gets Bail

MIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, against whom a criminal case had been registered in connection with the violent incidents on the GHMC election polling day on February 2, surrendered before the South Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police on Monday morning.

Owaisi was immediately taken for medical examination and later produced before the VIII Metropolitan Magistrate Court at Nampally.

He was released after the court granted him bail.

For those unfamilar with the history, during the final hours of polling in the GHMC elections on February 2, trouble broke out in the Old City following a clash between Congress and MIM supporters. The police took into custody Congress candidate from the Puranapul division Mohammed Gouse, an MIM rebel, and also arrested MIM MLA Pasha Qadri.

Congress leaders including TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy and Congress MLC Shabbir Ali reached the Mir Chowk police station and ensured the release of Party nominee Gouse. Meanwhile Owaisi also reached the spot along with about 200 supporters. The MIM supporters attacked the vehicle of Uttam Kumar Reddy and smashed its windshield. Congress MLC Shabbir Ali was also attacked by some MIM supporters, who tried to pull him out of the car and inflicted blows on him. However, the situation was brought under control with the intervention of police.

Senior leaders of the Congress then staged a dharna before the DGP's office demanding the immediate arrest of Owaisi and others involved in the incident. The chorus for the arrest of MIM leaders increased at an all-Party meeting the next day, and a delegation even called on Governor E S L Narsimhan and submitted a memorandum demanding immediate action against the assailants and the arrest of the Hyderabad MP.

Consequently the police registered criminal cases against Asaduddin Owaisi and also his brother Akbaruddin Owaisi, and against MIM MLAs Pasha Qadri and Balala in connection with the attack on the Congress leaders, and also two alleged earlier attacks, one on the residence of Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali and his son by Balala, and another on a BJP poll agent by Akbaruddin Owaisi.

Soon after the elections, Owaisi left for UP and returned home on Sunday. The police, who were waiting for his arrival for questioning, seemed to have hesitated in arresting him. However, following some mediation by senior police officials, Owaisi surrendered before the South Zone DCP this morning and walked out after securing bail from the court.